After the Storm
by Upsgirl88
Summary: In the wake of all out war - with Ezekiel dead and Morgan missing - The Kingdom needs a new leader. Carol has always considered Alexandria home but she feels like she owes the Kingdom and can't abandon the people who helped them defeat Negan. And it just so happens there's a large cat that won't stop following around the man she loves.
1. Chapter 1

_AN: So this is kinda a sequel to Friend Zone, but you won't need to read friend zone to follow this one, I'll be sure to explain/remind you of anything from the other fic that is pertinent. I'm honestly not sure about this idea, but I'm curious to see if people are intrigued by the first chapter. Hope everyone has a great day!_

 **Chapter 1**

There's a calm before the storm but there's an eerie silence after. Carol still woke every morning wondering when that silence would end or if maybe it really was just the calm as another storm brewed. She poured a cup of coffee, shook the thought out of her mind yet again and walked to the front window.

"Daryl, is that tiger really sleeping on our porch again?" Carol asked, peeking out to see Shiva perk up, then lay her head down with a sound that resembled a sigh when she saw it was her and not Daryl. "Shouldn't she be in her cage?"

Daryl rolled over in bed and sat up. He rubbed his eyes. "I tried… but she looked so sad in there…" Carol gave him a look. "She's a wild animal - she shouldn't be in a cage."

"There are children here," she replied. "There was a reason Ezekiel kept Shiva in her cage…"

"Okay, okay," Daryl resigned. "I'll take her there as soon as I have breakfast." It hurt Carol to see how bothered he looked about locking the tiger up and she wondered if it had anything to do with how Daryl had felt when Negan held him captive. But it made her nervous to see the tiger wandering around the Kingdom, especially without Ezekiel.

It made her sad to think about the last time she'd seen Zeke, lying on the ground in a puddle of blood on the ground at Alexandria. Thankfully one of the several shots from the assault rifle had hit him in the head and there was no chance of him turning. It was a long battle and his body stayed there awhile - he certainly would have turned without the head shot. There was nothing worse than seeing someone you cared about become a monster.

Ezekiel had agreed to help Rick fight Negan - and they had won, but the cost was high and they had lost a lot of people from Alexandria, Hilltop and the Kingdom - including the King himself. To make matters worse - Morgan was missing. There was always a chance he'd been killed, he turned, and walked out of ASZ in all the chaos and fighting, but Carol couldn't remember seeing him after about 15 minutes into the fight. He was there to start, but the next thing she knew he'd disappeared - and he wasn't among the casualties.

It didn't make any sense at all and that was one of the reasons that her and Daryl had been living at the Kingdom since the end of the battle. She was hoping he would return and she was sure the Kingdom was where he would come back to. With the threat of Negan and the Saviors now taken care of Carol had been sending the Knights out every day to look for Morgan, hoping maybe he was wounded and they could bring him home for help. Daryl tried to go a few times to help with the search, but everywhere he went a cat was right on his heels and clearly he had no desire to lock the feline up.

If they could find Morgan her and Daryl could finally return to their home - Alexandria. But until the Kingdom had a leader Carol just didn't feel right leaving. There were a few knights that likely had the skills and intelligence to take the job, but none of them wanted to lead. They were happy to serve and protect, but had no desire to rule.

Things were still quite chaotic since the battle. Although the three communities had moved into Alexandria to fight together, and that was where the bulk of the battle had happened, the Saviors also attacked the Kingdom and Hilltop, scavenging all their supplies and causing loads of damage. There was a crew, comprised of members from all three groups, that was loading up trucks at the Sanctuary and delivering supplies and food. But it was a slow process as everyone tried to rebuild and move on, still grieving tremendous losses, while celebrating their freedom.

Carol glanced over, just as Daryl slipped out of bed - naked. Her heart skipped a beat and her body responded ferociously just like it did every single time she saw his beautiful form. In the grand scheme of things, they hadn't been a couple all that long and with the preparation and battle with Negan they really hadn't had a chance to actually be a real couple. Stolen moments here and there, but the focus had been on the fight since the morning after their first time.

She knew Daryl was itching to get back to Alexandria and Carol certainly was too. It would finally be the start of their life together in the place they both considered their home. The Kingdom was nice and it was comfortable, but it was like being on vacation and staying at a hotel - eventually all you wanted was to get home to your own bed.

Carol set down the tea towel she'd been using to dry the dishes. Before Daryl could pull on any clothing she undid the tie on her robe and cleared her throat. He turned and stared. Carol slowly started to walk towards him, "I think maybe… maybe the tiger can sleep on our porch just a little while longer…" She reached out and touched his bare chest lightly. "Did you still want me to make breakfast… or…" Before she could finish her sentence Daryl pulled her against his body and found her lips.

Since they had been living at the Kingdom, for close to a week, they'd had a lot of sex. But it didn't matter how often they did - the desire for each other didn't wane one bit. Carol was pretty sure it was actually getting stronger because the sex seemed to get better each time. The first time was special and it was something she would never forget, but the more comfortable they got with each other, the more bold Daryl got… it was just even more incredible every single time.

"I got somethin better in mind for breakfast," he growled, gently pushing her back onto the bed. Daryl had gone down on her for the first time in a while only a few days before and since then it was like he couldn't get enough of it. She certainly wasn't going to complain because it felt too good. Once he started it was like she was completely lost in the bliss. 5 minutes, 5 hours… she never knew how much time had passed and it didn't matter because it was absolute perfection.

Carol tugged the sheet over her body afterwards. The air was cool when she didn't have his skin touching her, keeping her warm. Daryl tugged at the sheet to get her attention, "You uh… you think Shiva was out there listening to all your moaning and screaming?"

"Shut up," she laughed, throwing a pillow at his face. But half an hour later when they walked out the front door Carol was sure the tiger huffed at her, before nudging Daryl's hand like an oversized house cat. "He's mine you big fur ball," Carol whispered under her breath. Daryl looked at her and grinned. She sighed and stepped down off the porch.

"I think maybe I'll just take her for a little walk, find some food before I lock her up," Daryl said, petting Shiva's head. It might have been that he was the only one brave enough to try, but it seemed that Daryl was the only one Shiva would let touch her.

"Okay," Carol said with a nod. "I'm gonna go find Daniel and Jerry, see if there's been any sign of Morgan." Her heart felt heavy mentioning his name. Despite their strange and eventful journey she considered Morgan one of her closest friends.

"Before you go…" Daryl said. She paused and waited for him to finish. "Pet her."

"Excuse me?" Carol was surprised.

"Just try it," he insisted. "She's not going to hurt you and… well… I can't even explain how it feels to put your hand on a tiger. A tiger," he repeated. "It's… I don't even know… Just try it, please?" He was looking at her, pleading with his eyes as if it was extremely important to him.

"If she bites my arm off she's never leaving that cage again," Carol muttered, moving slowly towards Shiva. "Listen, when I called you fur ball earlier," she said sweetly. "I meant it in the nicest possible way." Carol put her hand near the tiger's nose and let her sniff it. The tickle of the air from her nostrils sent chills down her spine. Shiva bowed her head slightly and Carol looked wide eyed at Daryl - she was just given permission, yet she was too shocked to move. He nodded at her and slowly Carol reached out, closer and closer until the tips of her fingers met the soft fur. This is a tiger. A fucking tiger, her mind was screaming. I'm petting a goddamn tiger.

Carol held her breath and Shiva made a sound… it was a chuffing, like a tiger version of a purr. Daryl was so right about not being able to properly explain how it felt to touch Shiva. It was exhilarating, but there was almost something divine about it - like she was doing something that wasn't supposed to happen in the natural world. She let her fingers move deeper into the fur and then pet her lightly with a full hand. "Wow," Carol whispered. It was the only word that would come out. Not wanting to push her luck she took her hand away and stepped back. "That… that… was amazing," she stammered, still taken back with awe.

Daryl leaned over and placed a kiss on her temple, causing Shiva to huff again. Clearly they weren't quite besties yet, but at least they had made a connection. "You two are amazing," a voice spoke from behind them. "I can't get a hand within a foot of her unless it's got food in it." Carol turned to see Jerry had walked up to join them.

"I was just coming to find you," Carol said with a smile. Jerry was so sweet and jolly. You couldn't help but feel happy in his presence.

"I'm gonna head out," Daryl said, preparing to leave for his walk with Shiva.

"Oh Daryl, can you stay a moment?" Jerry said quickly. "I actually came to see you, well… both of you." Daryl paused. "People have been talking… and, well… we think maybe Shiva has picked our new King."

Carol realized right away what Jerry was saying, but it was clear it wasn't sinking in for Daryl. "Oh good. We can finally go home. Who is it?"

Carol and Jerry exchanged a look before he spoke again, "Uh, dude… it's you." He smiled at Daryl. "We want you to stay. We want you to be our leader here at the kingdom… both of you actually," he added, turning to Carol. "King… and Queen." 


	2. Chapter 2

"You're letting a tiger pick your leader?" Daryl scoffed. "This place is a joke," he added under his breath. Carol gave him a warning look. Sometimes his lack of a filter could make him a real asshole. He looked back at her, challenging her briefly, then turned to Jerry. "No."

"No? That's it?" Jerry looked wounded.

"No thank you? Is that better?" Daryl snapped. Carol was taken back with his behaviour. She couldn't understand his need to be such a dick in response to what many would at least consider an honor even if they didn't want the job. Daryl seemed to be taking it as an insult. "I'm going for my walk now," he said, turning to leave. He didn't even have to beckon Shiva, the second he started walking she was by his side.

Carol watched him for a moment and then turned to Jerry. "I'm gonna go see what that was all about… any news on Morgan?" She added quickly. Jerry shook his head sadly and with a nod she took off to catch up with Daryl, just outside the gates.

Daryl knew she was behind him but he didn't slow down. She rolled her eyes and sprinted the rest of the way until she was beside him, matching his pace. "What the hell was that?" Carol hadn't intended to sound so bitchy. It wasn't that he didn't deserve it, but she didn't want to escalate things unnecessarily.

"Oh come on," he growled, stopping to face her. "They don't want me." Carol stared back, confused. "They want you - and her," he motioned towards Shiva.

"What are you talking about?" Carol shot back. "They do want you, Jerry came to talk to you."

Daryl shook his head vigorously. "You're wrong. That's their way of kissing my ass because if they can get me they'll get you and I won't take Shiva home with me." Carol understood his mindset, but she still didn't agree with it. "I ain't a leader. Look at me, look at how I react to stuff. I'm hot headed and I don't think. I ain't like you. You're the leader they really want."

What he was saying made sense. But she refused to let him win without pointing out his good qualities too. "You could be a leader Daryl," she said softly. "You're braves and you care about people. You wear your heart on your sleeve and sometimes that's exactly what people need. They want to follow someone who is real, who they understand." Carol could tell he was trying to ignore her, but she could also tell he had no counter argument. "Don't ever sell yourself short," she added. "People would follow you. I, would follow you."

He was silent for a moment and then he shuffled his feet and kicked at the ground. "Don't matter anyway," he grumbled. "I ain't gonna lead this place. I just wanna go home. Can we go? Back home?" There was that little hint of a kid in his voice that made her heart melt and reminded her that though he'd come a long way there was still a bit of emotional immaturity in him that came out when he was anxious.

"Daryl," she sighed. "They need us until Morgan comes back or they find a new leader."

"They need you," he corrected her.

"And I need you," Carol replied, not bothering to argue his point.

"You don't need me, you haven't needed me in a long time," he said. "You want me - I need you or I would have left already."

Carol knew he was right about the first part. She didn't need him. She didn't need anyone. She had proven time and time again that she could survive on her own. But he was wrong about the second part. "You don't need me either, you know that," she started. "I think you stay for a few reasons… great sex…" Carol watched him blush before she continued. "My cooking. My charming personality," she gave him a brilliant smile. "And her," Carol looked at Shiva, who had curled up on the ground to wait. "You don't know what people would say or think if you showed up at Alexandria with a tiger."

Daryl shrugged. "I ain't taking her with me."

Carol crossed her arms and grinned, "I'm not sure you really have a choice." Daryl crouched and rubbed Shiva behind the ear. "Daryl," she said gently. "Just stay a little longer, please? If Morgan doesn't turn up in a few more days I'll find someone to lead and help them get used to it and then we'll go."

"I wanna go home," he said stubbornly. "They can figure shit out. They will if you make 'em."

"Please?" She tried again.

"Whatever," he grumbled, trudging off, brooding. Carol sighed and watched Shiva trot off after him. She got what she wanted, he would stay. But he wasn't happy about it and she hated upsetting him.

The rest of the day didn't fare much better. Daryl didn't come back from his walk until almost dark. She was actually starting to get worried, though she knew Daryl could take care of himself even without a massive guard cat. She realized when he did come back that his pissy mood was only about to get worse because he promised to put Shiva in her cage.

"Jesus Christ," she muttered under her breath as she watched him slowly lead Shiva towards the building where the cage was. They both looked absolutely pitiful. If she wasn't annoyed with Daryl for being such a grumpy shit she might have told him to let Shiva stay on the porch one more night. But between her irritation and the fact that she knew it would just be the same thing the next day Carol just let him shuffle away and waited.

"I'm sorry, I know that was hard," she said when he came out. Daryl grunted in response and headed towards their place. Carol threw her hands up in the air, sucked in a breath and followed.

He was quiet through their late dinner and then afterwards went straight to bed. Carol knew his mood was because of her need to stay at the Kingdom longer and she stayed up with a cup of coffee to think. It was the first night in a while that sex clearly wasn't on the table and it made her sad. Being intimate with Daryl was her happiest of happy places. It could make any bad day better and now, after a pretty crappy day, it wasn't an option.

She pondered his comment about how they would just figure it out if she wasn't around to help and Carol knew he made a good point. But they had been through so much… She sighed and shook her head, it felt like she was screwed either way.

Carol finished the coffee and went to bed. Daryl was already sleeping and while part of her was still disappointed about missing sex, the rest of her was thankful there would be no more arguing or disagreement at least.

The next morning she woke before him and started thinking again. Suddenly she had a great idea that she was dying to talk to him about. Carol rolled over and flopped an arm on his chest. "Are you awake?" She asked, knowing he'd still been sound asleep.

"Am now," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. He looked so cute with his hair all messed up, squinting at her that Carol had to work hard to resist kissing him.

"I have an idea," she said excitedly, tapping his chest. Daryl gave her a strange look but it was clear he'd softened from the night before. "You should go home for a day or two, for a visit. I'll stay here and keep working on things and you can go visit Rick and the others. See how they're making out… and enjoy being home for a bit." His face didn't give anything away. "And maybe you can introduce them to your new friend," Carol smiled. "There's that chain leash thing that Ezekiel used to use and there's that cell Morgan built if you need it… what do you think?"

Daryl nodded. "I think it'd be nice and I'll go but…" He slid a hand down her back and let it rest on her ass. "You know it ain't gonna feel like home until you're there with me."

Carol took his face in her hands, "Soon babe, I promise." She kissed him softly and the next thing she knew they were more than making up for what they had missed out on the night before.

An hour later she walked with him and Shiva to the gate and watched him load the tiger into the back of a truck. She took up the entire thing and it looked hilarious. Daryl came back and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. It was more than she'd expected in public, they had already said their goodbyes alone a few minutes earlier. "Stay safe," he whispered.

"You too," was all she could manage. He would be back the next night, or earlier depending on Shiva, yet she felt really emotional watching him go. As soon as the truck was out of sight she threw herself into her work to stay distracted.

Late that afternoon the gates opened and the knights came in… with a stranger. It was a pretty brunette woman. They brought her to Carol. "Found her out near the old drop site. She's alone… hungry… looking for somewhere to stay," Daniel explained.

Carol still didn't trust easily but she knew the Kingdom had trusted Morgan and saved her life not all that long ago. "Welcome to the Kingdom," Carol said, hoping her gut was right when it told her to honor Ezekiel's kindness and help this woman. "I'm Carol," she said, extending her hand.

The woman reached out a dirty, trembling hand and shook it. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Sherry."


	3. Chapter 3

"Um, Daryl? Maybe you should leave the Tiger out there…" Aaron suggested, taking about 10 massive steps backwards as Daryl and Shiva walked through the gates into Alexandria. Every single person in the general area was frozen in place, watching him. It's not like they had never seen Shiva before. She'd been there, with Ezekiel, but this was the first time they had seen her with Daryl and it was clear they were all weary.

"Shiva, go wait by the truck," Daryl tried, pointing outside the gates. The cat ignored the command and sniffed at his pointing finger, then nuzzled his hand. It was quite strange how much like an ordinary house cat Shiva could act at times. Some days he had to remind himself she really was a wild animal, not an oversized, tame pet. "Shiva, go," he tried again. She stared at him, but didn't move. "Sorry dude," he said to Aaron. "She won't listen. Just follows me around."

"Uh… okay," he muttered, keeping his distance.

"Hey, where's Rick?" Daryl asked Rosita. She was the only one who didn't move away as he approached.

"I think he's at his place with Judith, at least he was a while ago…" Her voice trailed off and she nodded her head. "Never mind, he's right there." Daryl turned and saw Rick approaching, slowly, with a strange look on his face. "Got a new friend hmm?" Rosita asked.

"Hmm," Daryl replied with a huff and a shrug. Rosita smiled and he started to walk to meet Rick. When he got close Rick stopped. "It's fine, she won't hurt you," Daryl assured him.

"What the hell?" Rick asked in a tone that didn't match his words. Daryl realized he was worried he might set off Shiva.

"She started following me around the second I showed up at The Kingdom after Ezekiel was gone," he replied.

"Where does she… sleep?" Rick asked, looking intrigued.

"Carol made me put her in the cell last night," he muttered bitterly. "But she's been sleeping on my porch."

"On your porch?" Rick chuckled. "You have a tiger sleeping on your damn porch?"

"Would that be a problem… here?" Daryl asked, side eyeing Rick.

"Here? You're… you're home?" he replied, looking excited.

"Nah, just a visit for now… Carol's idea," Daryl said.

"You were brooding," Rick stated, matter of factly.

"Was not," Daryl shot back.

"Yeah, you were," Rick insisted. "I know you. And I know her. She sent you here to cheer you up because you were being an insufferable ass and she wanted you to be happy."

Daryl glared at his best friend, but he knew Rick was right. He had been insufferable that last few days. Immediately Daryl felt bad. Carol was such a good person, always putting everyone else before herself. Even in this case, she was putting the needs of all the people at the Kingdom before her own happiness. She could have just left them, came home and went on with life where she truly wanted to be. But she cared about those people and she wanted to help. The fact Daryl was getting hurt in the process wasn't lost on her either, he knew she suffered with that every day - and still, he'd made it worse with his constant pouting and pressure. "Dammit, I am an ass," he muttered finally.

"Huh, but you're cute, she'll forgive you," Rick joked. It didn't ease the knot that had developed in Daryl's stomach. Rick read his change in mood. "Relax," he said, touching Daryl's shoulder. "She loves you, even when you're a massive dick. That's not going to change." Daryl took a deep breath. He knew Rick was right, but he also made a mental note to make it up to her somehow when he went back. "Now, as for your other girlfriend… I think we'll need to make some ground rules, but I don't see why she can't stay here when you come back. People will get used to her… and I saw what she did during the fight, we owe her and she's a huge asset." Shiva had been amazing during the war. Somehow she just knew what side people were on and she saved many of them by attacking Saviors. She could also smell the dead from miles away and ripped their heads off if any got close. Daryl was relieved that Rick agreed so easily. He couldn't imagine locking Shiva up and abandoning her to return home. He actually wasn't sure how that would go for the Kingdom anyway. Likely Shiva would spend the rest of her life in that cage - he couldn't allow that to happen. "When did you become such a ladies man, Dixon?" Rick joked as they walked slowly through Alexandria.

"Shut up," Daryl shot back, blushing slightly. He'd been teased about Carol a lot when people first found out they were a couple, but it had been a while.

"In all seriousness," Rick added. "We haven't actually had a real conversation about this." Daryl gave him a sideways glance. It kinda felt like his dad was about to tell him about the birds and the bees. "I just want you to know that I'm happy for you both. I always wondered what stupid thing you did or said that kept her away - you've been perfect for each other for a long time."

"Yeah, well some fucker sent her packing once…" Daryl said, giving Rick a playful shove.

"I've made a lot of stupid mistakes, but that might have been the worst," he sighed. "On the plus side, if I didn't send her away she could have died at the prison attack or ended up with us at that trough… who would have saved our asses then?" Daryl didn't like thinking about how close they had come to dying at Terminus. But he did like to think about how it felt to see her face in the forest after they escaped. It was a moment he would never forget and probably the moment he knew he was madly in love with her. Yet it still took so long before they finally admitted their feelings.

As they continued to walk Rick filled him in on how things were going. The repairs were still extensive, but they had come a long way from the aftermath of the battle. Daryl looked around and while it didn't look like it had when their group first arrived so long ago, it was getting there finally. The supplies they were getting from the Sanctuary were encouraging. It was ridiculous how much stuff they had stockpiled, stealing from everyone else. They had more guns than they needed, tons of food, clothes, vehicles - and even toys and games for the kids - luxuries they hadn't seen in years.

Once everything was rebuilt it was going to be a different world for all of them. The Hilltop had livestock, the Kingdom had produce and they were all willing to work together and trade fairly so they could all reap the benefits. The future looked really good for the first time in a long time.

The rest of the day Daryl pitched in and threw himself into his work. It felt good to be a part of something that would be meaningful to him personally down the road. He liked helping out at the Kingdom because he was helping others, but it was different to be doing something for yourself, for your family - it was special and it felt good.

When the sun went down everyone slowly started to gather in the middle of town, where they had created a fire pit in the center. Clearly this was something they'd been doing for a while, it wasn't just for his benefit. Daryl watched as people brought lawn chairs and food. There was a table set up and everyone started to eat. "Come on Sunshine," Michonne said, handing him a plate and giving him a quick hug. "I've missed that scowl," she teased. Daryl gave her a playful shove and they chatted easily while they loaded their plates. For once Shiva stayed put while Daryl got food. The tiger had actually wandered off outside the gates earlier and returned with some blood on her muzzle, clearly she'd been hungry and took care of herself.

Daryl found a chair close to Rick and MIchonne and sat near the fire. He ate and he watched and he was happy. He missed Carol terribly and wished she was there to enjoy this with him, but she sent him there to be happy so he made sure he was… for a little while. When it got late and the fire started to die down he took Shiva to the cell and put her in for the night. She didn't resist or make it hard for him, she simply walked in, lay down and went to sleep. Daryl was thankful.

He went the house he shared with Rick, Michonne, Carl and Judith, where he would live with Carol when she returned. He said goodnight to everyone and for the first time in weeks he lay down in his own bed with a deep sigh. It felt really good. It wasn't any more comfortable than the bed he'd been sleeping in, but it was his own and that made it just right.

But it didn't take long before everything changed. When Daryl rolled over and stretched out his arm his hand didn't bump into Carol like it always did, just empty bed. He grabbed the sheets and made a fist as his heart squeezed just as tight as his hand. He missed her with every part of him. Not even a full 24 hours apart and he wanted to see her again.

Surprisingly the sexual urges weren't the problem - not at all. Yes, of course he missed making love to her, but what he missed more was holding her in his arms, her smell, the sound of her voice, her laugh, the way she sucked in a breath and sighed as she was waking up in the morning, the way she smiled when she realized he was watching her… All the little things that he would experience if only she was there in bed with him.

Daryl rolled onto his side and curled into a ball. From the time he was a little kid, hiding in a closet, under a bed, in a corner, he'd always made himself as small as possible to feel safe and protected. Carol had opened him up. With her by his side he stretched out and slept comfortably. But without her… the only way he could fall asleep is to wrap himself up tightly once again.

Would he be staying one night or two? The decision was easy. In the morning he would say his goodbyes and head back to the Kingdom. He'd enjoyed seeing everyone, but he wouldn't truly be home again until he came back with her.


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: I'm sorry my updates haven't been frequent lately. I'll try to do better but it's been a crazy busy month. Hope you enjoy this one. Happy Easter to everyone this weekend._

 **Chapter 4**

It didn't take long before Carol could sense that something was off with Sherry. It wasn't something that put her on guard, she was quite confident that Sherry wasn't there to hurt anyone, but Carol felt like the woman was hiding something about her past.

Carol had always been able to read people. It was part of her survival skills to be able to read Ed's mood and know what kind of day it was going to be, or how much she should and shouldn't engage him. Daryl had certainly gave her one hell of a test at reading his moods at first, but it was second nature for her at that point.

She watched Sherry from a distance, helping Dianne work in the garden. She was giving it her best effort but it was clear that the young woman didn't have much of a green thumb. Carol decided she had a better idea. "Dianne," she called out, waving the blonde over to her. "I want you to take her out for the day. Do a canvass and search for Morgan, but I really need you to talk to her. I would go myself but there are a few things here that I want to get done." The truth was, she was hoping Daryl would be back and she wanted to be there when he returned. "See if you can get her to open up to you… there's something…" Carol's voice trailed off.

"Oh good, I noticed that too," Dianne nodded. Carol smiled, she really liked Dianne, she was tough, brave, strong and apparently her intuition was spot on. "I'll do my best. Oh, on foot?"

Carol shook her head and smiled, "Take horses. If she's never rode don't go too far, but I saw her at the stables this morning and she seemed very comfortable. I think she's probably been on horseback before." Carol paused, "Keep your guard up… just in case. And take a walkie, check in with Daniel every hour. If you miss a check we'll send people out immediately." Her gut said there wouldn't be a problem but Carol wanted to be safe.

A little while later she waved as they rode out the gates. Seeing Sherry on the horse Carol knew she was a pro. If things worked out she could become a Knight, just like Dianne. Carol decided she would talk to Daryl about giving Sherry bow lessons. He was a really good teacher and it was something he was passionate about. It could be a good "mission" for him.

She started to wander, deep in thought. Maybe they would get lucky and in an ironic twist Sherry and Dianne would find Morgan when Carol really hadn't intended on this being a true search, it was just a cover to give the two women a day alone to chat.

It surprised her how much she missed Morgan. She didn't just want him back so she could go home, it was so much more than that. He was family and he'd been there for her in one of the darkest moments of her life. She wanted to see him happy and Carol knew that this place, the Kingdom, had been a solace for him. Morgan had become very close to Ezekiel and she knew he would be proud to carry on his legacy and make sure the Kingdom thrived.

Carol wandered around some more and eventually ended up in the little building that held Shiva's cage. It was still weird to have a tiger roaming around. She put her hands on the bars and looked in. There really wasn't enough room in that cell for a tiger and it suddenly struck her as cruel to put Shiva in there. Carol decided it was time to make her a large enclosure where she could roam free with far more space. But the problem was… would the tiger actually be staying at the kingdom when her and Daryl left? Chances were pretty slim that Daryl was going to leave his new pet behind - chances were even more slim that Shiva was going to allow it.

Just as she was about to leave Carol heard a noise. She spun and saw Daryl and Shiva enter the room. She startled Daryl, who clearly wasn't expecting to find anyone in there and when he yelled it startled her too until they both ended up laughing at each other while Shiva seemed to be less than impressed by the whole ordeal. She also seemed to be glaring at Carol again. "You think you got rid of me?" she asked, walking over to pet the tiger.

Shiva huffed but Carol noticed that she was enjoying having her head stroked and started to make a sound that was likely the tiger version of a purr. "I was just gonna put her in here for a bit and come find you," Daryl explained as he opened the cage and indicated for Shiva to enter. She hesitated and let Carol pet her a little longer, then wandered in obediently and lay down.

"You found me," Carol said, giving Daryl a sweet smile after he locked the cage and turned around.

"I did," he said with a growl as he backed her up against the wall.

"Whatcha doin?" she asked.

"You know," he whispered, hovering so close to her lips without touching them. Carol could feel his breath, warm on her mouth and made her body feel tingly. Suddenly he attacked her lips, as if he couldn't stand to be apart one second longer.

She let him kiss her, even kissed him back just as passionately, but when his hands started to wander, squeezing her ass and working their way up under her shirt Carol stopped him. "We can't," she gasped. "Not here…" Carol gazed in the direction of the cage, where Shiva really didn't seem to be paying them any attention.

"She's a tiger. She doesn't care," Daryl grunted, trying again to get his hands on her boobs. "I missed you," he whined.

"I missed you too, but… Can't… we…just…go… home…" she got out as she tried to dodge his efforts. Daryl gave her a look and then looked down at his pants where it was very evident that he was a happy boy. "We could just wait a min…" Her words were cut off when he captured her lips again, slipping his tongue into her mouth, eliciting a moan. Why did she want him so badly, all the time? Was she seriously considering giving in and letting him fuck her in front of Shiva? When Daryl reached for her pants and started to undo them her mind was telling her to stop them but her body was saying no way! Instead of stopping him she reached for his pants too and the next thing she knew she was bending over and he was inside her.

Carol closed her eyes and let herself enjoy every second. If she opened them and saw that damn tiger she would just stress or feel embarrassed. So instead she focussed on how good it felt. He'd been gone barely a day and it was like he'd been away for a week or more. It was ridiculous how much she craved him. It wasn't just the sex. The sex was incredible but what she was really looking forward to was simply the comfort of having him sleep beside her. The bed had felt so empty without him and the night so long when she kept waking up and reaching out to feel his warmth only to remember he wasn't there.

It was taking all she had to not cry out and she couldn't hold back the whimper when she came and for some reason she decided that was a good time to open her eyes. Of course the damn cat was looking at her and she didn't look impressed. Carol was sure Shiva rolled her eyes if felines could actually do that. Well at least she hadn't let the voyeur ruin the whole thing. She closed her eyes and tried to refocus while Daryl finished, but unfortunately her cheeks were burning and she couldn't get back to that happy place again.

Once it was over Carol couldn't turn around until she had herself dressed. Even then she hesitated until Daryl hugged her from behind. "I ain't leaving again until you come with me," he whispered.

It made her feel guilty because even though he'd missed her Carol knew that he had enjoyed seeing everyone and still wanted to go home. "Soon," she replied, turning to look at him. "Just a little longer, okay?" He sighed, but nodded and his face conveyed a look of understanding. "Let's get out of here," she said, eying Shiva. She looked at Daryl and saw the same pouty look on his face as she could somehow see in the tiger's eyes. "Oh fine," Carol muttered. "Bring her," she said to Daryl. She didn't miss the smile on his face or how quickly the tiger came to wait at the door while Daryl opened it.

They started to walk out and all of a sudden something bumped into her ass and she stumbled. Daryl chuckled and Carol glared at him first before also glaring at the culprit. "Enough furball or you're going back in the cell," she snapped.

"Maybe she was complimenting you," Daryl suggested as they kept walking. "She did get a pretty good view of your sweet little tushy."

"Oh God," Carol groaned, her cheeks flushing once more. "Don't remind me." Daryl laughed again and she decided to change the topic. "A new girl showed up here while you were gone," she started. "I sent her out with Dianne to see if she can get a backstory, make sure we can fully trust her. I want you to meet her when they get back, see what kind of vibe you get." Daryl nodded but before he could speak Jerry and Daniel arrived and pretty much carried her away babbling about something they needed her help with. "I'll find you later," she called over her shoulder with a wave.

Later on when Sherry and Dianne returned Carol sensed that things went well, even before she could talk to Dianne. The women seemed to have made a connection and looked comfortable with one another. The weight she'd been carrying, worrying about Sherry was lifted off her shoulders instantly.

The women got off their horses and walked over. "Go ahead and take them to the stables," Carol said with a smile. "I'm gonna find Daryl and bring him to meet Sherry."

"Did you say Daryl?" Sherry asked. Carol felt her heart start to pound at the look on the woman's face. She was pale and looked shocked. "He's here? He's safe?"

Carol was momentarily stunned. How did this woman know Daryl? "Are we talking about the same man?" she asked, hoping to hell they weren't.

"Daryl… He, um… he helped me out once," Sherry was struggling with her words. "I, uh…I did something stupid… but I tried to repay him…I don't know if he knew it was me..."

What the hell was she nattering on about? "What's going on?" Carol jumped in to stop the senseless rambling. "How do you know Daryl? What are you talking about?"

Sherry had tears in her eyes and Carol just found herself even more confused. But when the woman spoke it sent chills down her spine, "I helped him escape… from the sanctuary."


End file.
